Prop 50 opinions, please?

[IGoToDU]

Had occasion to talk on the phone this morning with my wonderfully smart and kind, dearest friend from my college days. (A lifelong Dem who has walked their talk as an activist for decades.) We hadn’t caught up since Election Day.

Fairly quickly, my friend expressed worry about how the success of Prop 50 will be very detrimental to us as the next year unfolds. “It’s gerrymandering. We are escalating the conflict. Stooping to their level. They’re going to say they can do it too.” Then went on to say the enacting of Prop 50 wasn’t in keeping with MLKs tradition of achieving lasting success through nonviolent means. After all, look at the success of the Hands Off and No Kings peaceful protests. Why on earth should we do what they (the Reps/MAGATs) did?

It was early this morning, and I found myself feeling quite unprepared for the discussion; and told my friend so. And that I was going to read and research and get opinions from trusted colleagues and we could revisit the subject.

I am not lazy intellectually. I am committed to continue researching this. Was prop 50 all about Trump v California? Will it prove to be only a short term victory?

May I ask you all? How might you see Prop 50 as a wedge issue that may backfire on us Democrats? How will it make this upcoming year (which is certainly bound to be really bad) even worse? Was it appropriate restitution for blatant disregard of the rights of American voters all over the United States? How do you see it vis a vis what its success will mean (help or hindrance) for we Democrats moving forward toward the Primaries next year?

Thank you so much for adding to what I know.

As my handle IGoToDU indicates, I see DU like a/my university where I go to partake of higher level thought and intellect. To learn and grow. “Minds are like parachutes, they only function while open”.

Thank you for any and all of your input on how you see what Prop 50 is and what it could and might bring forth in the year to come.

[mikewv]

1. It is actually very simple.

Tell your friend the political foe is not your average or crazy republican. It is Donald Trump. We don't win those battles playing nice.

[Wounded Bear]

2. Undesirable but necessary...nt

[Silent Type]

3. On any other time, we'd be better off avoiding as much gerrymandering as possible, but this ain't normal

and Texas started it in 2025.

[alwaysinasnit]

4. My opinion, FWIW, is that Democrats and others with progressive mindsets, are entering into

what I consider (political) survival mode. I reluctantly voted for Prop. 50 because I believe that you can't play by the Marquis of Queensberry rules when fighting with gutter rats.

[msongs]

5. prop 50 is a non violent thing. mlk would approve IMO

[Mz Pip]

6. High moral ground is great

But you still have to be able to defend yourself. Saying we're so much better by taking the high moral ground isn’t going to help you survive when the other side is metaphorically shooting at you and everything you hold dear.

If there were any other way to save our democracy from the fascism that Trump brings, please tell us what that might be. Being reasonable hasn't worked. Given historical parallels is treated with contempt. So we were pretty much running out of options.

[J_William_Ryan]

7. "May I ask you all? How might you see Prop 50 as a wedge issue that may backfire on us Democrats?"

We don’t have a choice.

Republicans know they’re losing ground at the polls, they have nothing but contempt for democracy and the will of the people – they’ll continue to pursue their efforts to disenfranchise as many voters as possible to realize the tyranny of Republican minority rule.

[intrepidity]

8. Ask your friend whether Texas, or other red states,

put the question to their voters as to whether they should gerrymander.

[Bread and Circuses]

9. I can help.

I think your friend is not fully informed. Don’t know where she lives. She clearly wasn’t receiving or reading or attending the public forums everywhere in CA.

#1 Prop 50 is limited for 5 years, until 2030

#2 By definition, gerrymandering is a power move by a one party majority legislature to grab more seats AGAINST the wishes of the citizens. Usually to suppress votes of black and brown citizens,

#3 Prop 50 was a RESPONSE to TEXAS gerrymandering by their legislature . CA could have redrawn MORE Democratic districts it did NOT. It simply nullifies the TEXAS gerrymandering.

#4 The question was put to the Voters. The Proposition PASSED 2-1 .

Yes 5,707,457 63.9%
No 3,226,346 36.1%

Summary : Proposition 50: Election Rigging Response Act

Known as the "Election Rigging Response Act" this is a constitutional amendment that would allow the state to use a new legislature-drawn congressional map from 2026 through the 2030 elections instead of the one drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

As a result of the passage of Prop 50, other Republican states who are pressured to gerrymander have now STOPPED because they know that other DEMOCRATIC states will do what CA did.

California is saving democracy for all 50 states,

I was involved in canvassing for Prop 50. We had to fight Fire with Fire. Your friend is thinking and talking like it’s 1950.

We Fight! We Vote! We dint give up.

The Bear Has Woken !

[bucolic_frolic]

10. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander & fight fire with fire

We didn't start this war that goes against norms and constitutions. But it will end us for sure if we don't match them blow for blow.

[2naSalit]

11. In these...

Unusual times and with this particular situation our future is being threatened. We must take active measures to preserve our democracy... Newsom and the voters understood the assignment.

[NewHendoLib]

12. Going high and playing nice is why we find things as they are

It's time to fight.

[beaglelover]

13. I voted yes on prop 50 as its a temporary measure to combat what they did in TX. I'm sick of Democrats not

fighting....the whole when they go low we go high.....fuck that. It's time to fight on their level if we want to keep our democracy. We MUST win back at least the House next year or we are all fucked royally.

[Skittles]

14. I see it the same way as I see Newsom's Trump-trolling posts

normally I would not approve, but THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES

we are FIGHTING FASCISM - *EVERYTHING* IS ON THE TABLE

[RockRaven]

15. There is no virtue in being a pious loser when people are trying to hurt others.

[Happy Hoosier]

16. The simple answer is: Do you want to be a permanent minority?

We have a choice here: fight back or surrender. If we allow GOP gerrymandering and don’t fight back, we will become a permanent minority. Once they seize power with no possibility of losing it, we’re done. We’re in a fight for our Republic. The time is now. If we fail to stop the onslaught here, we have lost it ALL. There are no points for noble defeats.

With all due respect to your friend, they must enjoy immense privilege if they understand why we stand here and now.

[Qutzupalotl]

17. They're going to say they can do it anyway.

They don’t look to us or anyone for a moral barometer.

They gerrymander to keep Trump out of prison. We are doing it to keep him from seizing more power.

We are playing by their rules.

[marked50]

18. Tx vs Ca. Although this has been mentioned in previous response I would like to simplify and contrast it more clearly.

Texas mid-census 2025 redistricting was done legislatively. It was not ratified by the general population. Although this is typical in many states ( to do this in their legislatures) many other states use different methods.

California accomplished this through a more democratic process by placing the issue to a full population referendum vote modifying their constitution. This more fully aligned with population wishes rather than a partisan controlled legislature like Texas.

Which seems more fair? Ca wins this one.